Green Day Album Arrives As Billie Joe Heads To Rehab

The first of three new Green Day albums, Uno!, arrives in stores on Tuesday (September 25th). Uno! follows up 2009's 21st Century Breakdown, but unlike that disc or 2004's American Idiot, the new set is not a concept album. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong told us a while back that it was important that Green Day move forward artistically with each new album: "Whatever we do in the past is just, you know -- leave that and go to the next chapter or the next era or whatever, you know. We always want to try to keep reinventing ourselves and come out with something new without changing our clothes. You know, not that we're trying to, like, have a new image or anything like that. I think we're just acting our age, trying to make something that's, you know, this is where we're at, at this particular time and, exercising our vulnerabilities to make the best record that we possibly can."

The release of the new record is overshadowed by the news that Armstrong was seeking treatment for substance abuse following his profanity-filled tirade at the iHeartRadio Festival in Las Vegas last Friday (September 21st).

Armstrong exploded after his band's set was cut from 45 minutes to 25, and he was given a signal halfway through their seventh song that they had one minute left. After screaming for two minutes at promoters, he smashed his guitar and left the stage.

A statement was issued on Sunday (September 23rd), apologizing for the incident and stating that a number of other promotional appearances by the band would be canceled while Armstrong sought help.

Meanwhile, Armstrong's possible stint in rehab will not affect his appearance as a mentor on the new season of The Voice, according to Deadline. A spokesperson for NBC said, "We're taped and all set."

Armstrong recorded his stints earlier this summer as a mentor on Christina Aguilera's team.
Green Day is scheduled to begin a North American tour in November, the same month that the second of the band's three new discs, Dos!, will arrive. The third CD, Tre!, is expected out in January.